one call (sorry, i'm away)
by 98s
Summary: He's only one call… "The number you are calling is busy. Please try again later." Shinichi's life is full of bad jokes. Too bad he doesn't get the iron-y. Ran is truly an angel for putting up with this man of-definitely not steel-brick. Yeah. That's thick enough.


a/n: thanks littlelinguistme for betaread this. blame her... i mean all mistakes u found still mine. maybe bc i didnt obey all her suggestions. lol

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"You aren't Superman, Shinichi!"

The girl, Ran, quickly runs out of the cafe after yelling that to his face. Shinichi blinks in confusion. Not realizing other patrons' cold stares, he starts to ponder the reason Ran was angry with him.

.

.

.

First. The last thing she said to him.

…_yes_. He supposes so.

He isn't Superman. Superman is a fictional character, a superhero with imaginative power that defies logic. If Ran wanted to compare him to someone not real, couldn't she choose a better character? Sherlock Holmes, for example. No good? Okay.

But what did she mean he isn't Superman? He'd never claimed to be one.

Or maybe it isn't actually related to him. Maybe he has unknowingly insulted Superman, Ran's fictional hero.

_Tsk_. That girl has bad taste. Why can't she admire Sherlock like him. He has spent so much energy trying to convert her, but she still couldn't see the famous detective's charm of Baker Street.

He doesn't really know what to do with her anymore.

_Hmm_.

.

.

.

Shinichi let out a deep breath.

Conclusion: he doesn't know.

.

.

.

_W__hatever_. Ran's probably having girl problems. No need to make her angrier by poking her too much. Let the lion sleep. And if the dogs were barking, just keep walking.

.

.

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Shinichi nods to himself and stands up to leave.

He's stopped by the waitress on the way out. She tells him he has to pay at the cashier before leaving. He shrugs. Fair point.

.

.

.

Solving a murder case is not that different from doing jigsaw puzzles while playing hide-and-seek. He finds all the pieces and in no time everything would become as clear as the night sky. With moon and stars, obviously.

The only problem is if somehow he couldn't find the key to turn the table around. Yes, he spoke in chess language just now. Jigsaw puzzles and hide-and-seek are for kids. He is too mature for that.

Fortunately, he rarely has an issue finding the hidden clues. No one can conceal the truth, because there is only one, and it is always distinctly different from the other cheap imitations humans created.

He thinks he may be quite favored by the gods, with his unparalled skill to discern the truth.

However, solving a girl problem isn't like math. There is no clear answer, no right formula for every question that will come to surface. Shinichi could notice every little detail about Ran, and she still would get mad at him somehow.

Does he praise her after she trims her hair? Yes.

Does he open the door for her like a gentleman? He does.

Does he pull the chair out for her? Holds her bags? Pay for their meals? All checked.

Obviously, he can't always answer her calls after just one ring or sometimes even answer at all. He has his own life. It is impossible for him to keep checking his phone when he runs after a culprit or is out investigating. Ran should understand that part of him. She is his childhood friend after all.

_Well._

_Maybe._

Three days have passed, and she still won't talk to him.

.

.

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"What did you do?"

He wonders why Haibara always assumes he was the one at fault. Is it related to the girl problem he still hasn't been able to solve?

"I did nothing. We talked. She yelled. The end."

She gives him her patented look, one she has been perfecting for years to make others do her bidding with just a reproachful gaze from her.

He really didn't do anything though, so there is nothing he can do to appease her. After all, if he _had known_ what he did, he wouldn't need to consult to her about Ran and why she's mad at him in the first place.

"What did you two talk about, then?" She relents after a while.

Just the usual stuff. Weather. Sherlock. The meals. Holmes. School. Watson. Their friends. Professor Moriarty.

"Oh, yeah. She asked how Conan is too."

She frowns at that. Her eyes turn icier as she glares at him again. "And what did you say?"

"He is doing well and happy living with his parents again."

The art of lying. Mix in some truth with it so that the other party can't confirm fact over fake. It's something he's come to be pretty good at.

Although Haibara seems to think otherwise if her deep sigh is anything to go by.

"You're an idiot."

He doesn't think he did anything to deserve that kind of insult.

.

.

.

According to Haibara, Ran _maybe, possibly, probably_ knows about his past secret identity. She asked him about Conan to gave him a chance to come clean. But he bombed it by lying to her face again. That's why she's angry.

"Why Superman though?"

"Why do you have to focus on that part?" She says in the driest tone she could muster.

_Okay_, he is maybe a _bit_ dense. But he knows the sign when Haibara's patience wearing thin. So he excuses himself and leaves as fast as naturally possible.

No, he wasn't running away with his tail between his legs.

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Later, he realized that he forgot to ask Haibara how to apologize to a girl.

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Should he buy her flowers? A Bag? Clothes? Or maybe some shoes?

He definitely doesn't want to consult Sonoko. Haibara is scary. But he is more used to her quiet disappointment than Sonoko's annoying and aggressive criticism.

Let's see, the next candidate on the list…

Sera?

"Just grovel at her feet. It usually works."

He wonders what Sera did in her spare time. She said 'usually', does that mean she did it often enough? He doesn't think his pride would let him though. He crosses off Sera's advice from his mental list.

Nope. Just no.

Kazuha?

She is pretty skilled in aikido, right? He's already living as Ran's punching bag. He doesn't want to offer his services to another woman he doesn't even have close relationship with.

_Let Heiji fill that position_.

Jodie-sensei?

"The way to a girl's heart is from your own heart. If you apologize to her sincerely, she will definitely forgive you."

How does he show his sincerity?

"Just grovel at her feet."

_That again?_

He thinks he needs more girl friends. The women in the police squad are too busy to take his calls.

Oh, wait. He still has one left.

"Umm… I think saying sorry is enough. Ran-oneesan isn't the type to hold a grudge. If Shinichi-oniisan apologizes to her, she absolutely will forgive you."

Was it really that easy? In the eyes of a kid, it must seem like that. How innocent.

"But! But! Shinichi-oniisan has to know what you did wrong and promise to not do it again! If not, it would feel like you aren't really sorry!"

…

For the first time in forever, he felt truly pathetic.

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Ayumi is right; he only needs to say sorry for Ran to forgive him. Making her listen, on the other hand, is a bit tricky.

In the end, he chooses to grovel. Ran isn't only scary, she is ten times stronger than him. What about his pride, you ask? Like a wise man once said, you can't live with that kind of thing alone.

.

.

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"Ran-sama, may I ask you a question?"

"Stop talking like that, Shinichi. I'm not mad anymore."

"So… why Superman though?"

"…"

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a/n: this fic written for the sole purpose of making shin grovel. im sorry if he was ooc... or maybe im not.


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